Increasing Disposable Income.
People work to earn money. This money firstly, is used to pay for the essentials and basic needs we have. This is income. These necessities are:
- Lighting, water, electricity, heating and gas. These are services which everyone needs and income needs to be spent on.
- Clothes, food and drink which are basic essentials people need.
- Rent and mortgage.
- Furnishings.
- Communication such as phones or letters.
- Transport.
- Minus all these factors from the income, what money is left over is disposable income. This money is what we use for travel and tourism and is not essential. This therefore can give people choices such as going on holiday. This therefore is adding to Travel and tourism.
The graph shows the increase of disposable income since 1971. As you can see form the graph, there has been a steady increase. I predict that it will continue to rise.
- The economy has a boom/bust cycle. In a recession, in which in the UK we haven’t had since 1993, but it’s associated with high unemployment. This meant that there was less disposable income. But at the moment, in the year 2004 we are on a boom. Suggesting the economy determines the amount of leisure time and what people can afford to do.
This graph came from Social Trends 30.
- The graphs shows how we are spending more and more on leisure and things which aren’t essential to life. The graph proves that disposable income is increasing. This means people have more money to spend on travel and tourism, suggesting why this industry is growing so fast.
- Young people don’t generally have income and therefore don’t have to pay for mortgages; they have their own money to do what they want with it. This is normally related to leisure and therefore has an impact on travel and tourism.
This graph from
During most of the 1990s, the growth in average earnings has outpaced the growth in retail prices. The graph shows that despite the fact earnings are going down slowly, so is retail price at a much faster rate. This suggests that people can still afford to have money left over for leisure and therefore travel and tourism is still a booming industry.
Conclusion.
Increasing disposable income has an impact on travel and tourism. As disposable income increases, this therefore means more people have money to spend on leisure activities and things people enjoy. This relates to the increase of travel and tourism.
Increased levels of pay.
Increased levels of pay can be shown in this graph below.
This graph came from:
In the graph you can see that in the 90`s, average earnings have gone down but they have recovered a little. But if we compare this to the 1950`s they were much lower. In 1900 the average earnings including part time was £49.00 and in 1983 the average earnings rocketed up to £5526.00. Whereas in the year 2000 the average earning was £18252.00. so although there has been a down turn in pay since 1991, if you look at the long-term trend, pay levels are rising especially since 1970.This shows the gradual increase of earnings since the 90`s. This can be shown better in the graph below:
This graph came from:
This shows how earnings have dramatically increased since 1970. This will mean people will have more money to spend on domestic and outbound tourism.
Conclusion
The link with the increased levels of pay and tourism is very clear. The more money people earn the more disposable income people have to spend on leisure, going on visits, and things which aren’t essential to life. This therefore increases travel and tourism.
Life Stage.
Everyone in life is at a different stage. We can group these stages and relate them to what people enjoy to do in their leisure time. The youth would certainly not enjoy participating in what the elderly would like to do in their spare time. Also the stage of your life dictates how frequently you go and visit places and the type of tourism.
I got this graph from:
This table shows that the proportions who take the most trips are the groups 25-44. Most people this age have the energy and time to go on trips. Whereas 55-64 take the least trips. This could be due to the fact that this generation is older and less energetic. But together the groups 55-64 and 65+ these form a significant group.
This shows that whether it is domestic tourism or going abroad, the biggest group who add to the tourism industry is group aged 25-44.
I got this graph of:
This shows that the group in which go on the most trips are 55+. This is because they have the most disposable income as they have retired and also have a lot of spare time for enjoyment. The group which go on the least amount of trip is the age 16-34 married with no children under 16. This could be because of these people this age could be spending valuable money and time in getting a house and furnishing it.
Conclusion.
From the above data I can see that patterns in travel and tourism vary according to age and gender. This is because people’s interests differ in contrast to how old they are and their sex. This illustrates that different sectors in travel and tourism with benefit from each of these age groups.
2.Technological Developments.
Improved and reliable car technology.
Cars are always improving, whether its fastness or size. In recent times cars have become much more reliable and efficient. There are so many cars on the market choices are endless. These are the claims which Vauxhall make about their new range of cars:
The claims in which Vauxhall make are their cars are extremely reliable and successful. Also they can be for a family but still look sophisticated. This means they are very appealing to the public.
Conclusion
The motor industry rapidly developed the technologies associated with the speed of travel, efficiency and fuel economy making it much easier and reliable for people to get around and visiting places. This therefore has an impact on travel and tourism as people have the flexibility to go when they want as cars are so much more reliable today.
The motorway Network.
- The motorway era started in Lancashire. The Preston Bypass section of the M6 was the first motorway that opened in 1958.
- As you can see from the map I included of the motorway network in the UK in section about the car owning society. It shows how easy and efficient it is to travel around the UK. It therefore reduces travel time because of the amount of lanes making it easier to over take and go at a faster speed. They also don’t have traffic lights and roundabouts which reduces time from the journey.
- It is also easy to get onto the motorway system on slip roads. This means people all over the UK can travel on the motorway systems and make their journey more efficient and quicker.
- I have also looked at this is more detail in the post-war development, the car owning society.
Conclusion.
Clearly the motorway network has a relationship with the increasing levels of travel and tourism. The motorway enables people to travel to destinations all over the UK, quicker. This means it is much more appealing to travel, maybe to further places on the motorway network as it is so easy. This has an impact on travel and tourism as more people are willing to travel.
Air Travel.
- Dr. Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are both recognized as being the co-inventors of the jet engine. Each worked separately and knew nothing of the other's work. Hans von Ohain is considered the designer of the first operational turbojet engine. Frank Whittle was the first to register a patent for the turbojet engine in 1930. Hans von Ohain was granted a patent for his turbojet engine in 1936. However, Hans von Ohain's jet was the first to fly in 1939. Frank Whittle's jet first flew in 1941.
- The development of pressurised cabins meant that there was a supply of air which then they could fly higher and get out of the troposphere where all the weather conditions affected the flight. As without the pressurised cabin, flights couldn’t go above in to the stratosphere, into the thin air as there would be no air supply. This meant flights are more enjoyable and quicker, therefore more appealing to the public. Aircrafts can now reach heights of 30,000- 40,000 ft, whereas they could only reach heights of 15,000 ft.
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The 747, also popularly known as the jumbo jet, is the second largest passenger airliner after , but it remains the largest aircraft in commercial service. The 747 was born out of the explosion of the popularity of air travel in the s. The enormous popularity of the had revolutionised long distance travel in the world, and had began the concept of the global travel made possible by the jet revolution. The original design was a full length double decker. However, following issues with proposed evacuation routes, this idea was scrapped in favour of a .
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Concorde 001 took off for the first test flight from on nd and the first supersonic flight followed on st. As the flight program of the first development aircraft progressed as planned, 001 started off on a sales and demonstration tour beginning on th . Not until nd did Concorde 002 follow suit with a sales tour of the Middle and Far East. Concorde 002 made the first visit to the in , landing at the new to commemorate its opening.
Technological features.
- Many technological features common in the early 21st century airliners were first used in Concorde
For speed optimization, Concorde featured:
- Double-delta shaped wings
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Thrust-by-wire engines, ancestor of today's controlled engines.
- Droop nose section for good landing visibility For weight-saving and enhanced performance, Concorde featured:
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Fully electrically controlled analogue fly-by-wire flight controls systems.
I got this picture from: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Concorde
- Computerised checking-in and baggage handling also makes going on holiday so much easier and more appealing for people to go on holiday. This therefore has an impact on travel and tourism as people are more willing and confident to go on holiday as everything is so much quicker and easier.
- Sophisticated air traffic control makes going on a plane even safer as technological developments have vastly improved. This therefore gives people more confidence in flying and therefore more people do.
I got this table from:
- This table shows how the quantity of people using air travel has increased since 1970. It has predicted the amount of passengers from 2010 to 2030. It also shows an increase. This is because it is becoming more popular to fly and as it is more comfortable, entertainment on the flight and it’s much quicker which makes it so much more appealing to fly.
- The growth of regional airports has also increased due to the amount of people wanting to travel abroad. Airports have many facilities which make it easier for the public. There are monorails and coaches to the airport from the car parks that make it so much more accessible to get the airport. This is why the travel and tourism industry is increasing as everything including the facilities and ability to travel is much more efficient and easier.
I got this map from:
This map shows the airports in the UK. As you can see the amount is huge. Showing the demand for people to fly abroad to destinations.
Conclusion.
The impact air travel has had on the travel and tourism industry is significant. This is because since the 2nd world war planes have become bigger as so they can hold more people making flights cheaper. This means more people can afford to go on holiday to far destinations and also have the better quality journey. Therefore air travel has affected travel and tourism greatly.
Sea Travel.
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Sea travel has changed since the 2nd world war from the main form of global passenger transport to shorter-journey car ferries and cruises. This is because people use to go on a ferry to America because flying was very uncomfortable as technology was only developing. But when the jet engine and pressurised cabin were developed the need to go on the ferry was decreased as people could fly over instead, taking less time. This meant the ferry was not needed and so it became a cruise instead of like a `bus service`.
- Ferries have become more popular due to the capacity of people they can get on them. This means that prices are reduced so it is more affordable for more people. Also as car ownership has increased the need for ferries which can hold cars is more important. The ferries such as the sea France Rodin and the Brittany ferries are good examples in which can take vehicles and loads to destinations. Each route has been specifically designed to save drivers large amounts of time and mileage, making us the logical choice of the professional.
I got this picture and map from:
http://www.brittanyferriesfreight.co.uk/
These are the offers Brittany Ferries include:
- Direct and cost-effective routes
- More mileage-saving departure ports and destinations
- A personal service offering individually tailored solutions
- From abnormal loads to small vans
- Top quality food and on-board facilities
This map shows where the ferry travels to. The wide choice of sailings enables people to choose the port most convenient for them, keeping driving to a minimum. The arrival ports also offer easy access to the major road networks in France and Spain, making driving on the continent easier.
- Ro-Ro ferries are the idea in which you take your vehicle onto the ferry and then when you get to the destination you can just `roll off`. This made it much easier and convenient as it’s a simple concept to use.
- Sir Christopher Cockerell was the inventor of the hovercraft in 1956. The hovercraft could carry twice as many passengers and vehicles, but this meant it was slower. The hover craft was replaced by the invention of the sea-cats. The sea cat would as it gets faster lift making the journey quicker. Compared to conventional ferries, the sea cat fleet of smaller, faster vessels results in fast loading and unloading - coupled with the fact that all of the cross-Channel services are run from dedicated ports, makes travelling on the sea cat fast and hassle free experience.
I got this picture from Google search on images under `sea cats`.
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An issue which meant Health and Safety issues were considered was the landmark disaster of the Herald of free Enterprise. It capsized in the approaches to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge en route to Dover in England at 7.05pm local time on March 6, 1987. At least 150 passengers and 38 members of the crew lost their lives, most inside the ship, from hypothermia, in the frigid water. The bow doors had been left open after departure and water flooded the car decks. The tragedy led to new safety regulations in the British ferry Industry.
Conclusion.
Sea travel has dramatically improved over the years since the 2nd world war where both the journey and safety wasn’t good enough. Now ferries are very much more appealing to the public and offer a wide range of services. This means the public can have choice in how they travel and so it’s more suiting for people. Therefore this would have an effect on the travel and tourism industry as travel is more appealing and suiting to different people.
Railway.
- Over the last 50 years there has been great change in both rail technology and the UK rail network. Steam trains, in the 1950`s were replaced by diesel trains and in recent years electric trains. The rail network has changed radically since the 1960`s. firstly the large UK network was rationalised by Doctor Beeching many branch lines were cut. During the 1980`s the rail network and operator, British Rail was privatised into a company that was responsible for the rail network stations etc. and a number of different companies e.g. Virgin and Arrival had responsibility for the trains.
Over the last decade technological change such as:
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The tilting trains such as the `Pendolino`. Virgin introduced this to cut journey times between places for example London and Glasgow by about half and hour. This means journeys are more efficient and therefore more people would be keen to use them.
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Metro systems such as the Jubilee line also offer a form of transport. Again there is another different way to travel which means people have more choice and so therefore they can travel in a way which suits them. The travel and tourism industry is increasing as more people can travel how they want and also in comfort. The volume of passengers a metro train can carry is often quite high, and a metro system is often viewed as the backbone of a large city's public transportation system.
Most underground systems are for public transportation, but a few cities have built freight () or postal lines. One example was the , which transported mail underground between sorting offices in London from until it was "mothballed" in . During the an important secondary function of some underground systems was to provide shelter in case of a nuclear attack.
- Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train linking London with Paris and Brussels via the Channel Tunnel. It is run by a consortium of the French railways (SNCF), the Belgian railways (SNCB) and Eurostar UK Ltd. It has been running since 1994. This is very convenient and means we can get access to destinations as quick and efficiently as possible.
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The le Shuttle can carry cars, coaches, Lorries and goods. The service is for those people who will be travelling with their motor vehicle. The service is designed so that you do not have to leave your car once you have boarded. Eurotunnel underground trains operate under the highest safety & security measures & aim to provide one of the fastest & effortless ways of reaching Europe from the UK Up to 53 channel crossings daily and a crossing duration of 35 minutes make the Le Shuttle Eurotunnel service the fastest route to Calais.
I got this picture form Google search on images.
Conclusion.
The railway has vastly improved since the 1950`s. trains have become quicker and more reliable due to technology and improvements to the rail network. More people can now use the rail network for business or for leisure. Access to places is becoming wider and so therefore more people are using trains for transport. The travel and tourism industry benefits also as more people find it easier to visit places with or without their car.
Internet.
- The internet has become more and more popular in homes around the UK. The introduction of booking holidays online meant for individuals, they could go online and sort out everything form accommodation to flights from the comfort of their own home. This is very appealing to people as it take minimum effort and is so simple.
I got this screen print from:
- Amdex systems offer a simple concept of booking a holiday. It is easy and step by step and so even people who find using computers hard would be able to do it. This makes the internet so engaging for people.
- People can also use search engines to find holiday information and offers from local travel agents which is very easy and quicker than going into your local town.
I got this screen print from:
This is an example of a search engine which could be used to look for information on flights to car hire.
Computerised Booking Systems.
Before there was a computerised booking system, travel agents used to work with wall charts. On these charts they had lists of available different resorts and airlines. People had to write out tickets which weren’t very efficient.
Today travel agents have a ¼ of a million pounds worth of computer systems which they can use the website to gather useful information, quickly and efficiently. The technology also means travel agents such as Sunvil can make databases of their customer’s history in holidays. Another recent technology that has helped to increase the efficiency of booking a holiday is a global distribution system. This consists of a speedy dedicated-line access, a huge database of details including accommodation, travel, hotels and car hire. It is also global. This means the sales process is easier and more efficient.
Global distribution Systems include:
Worldspan.
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Worldspan provides worldwide electronic distribution of travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and e-commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers, and corporations.
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Worldspan system provides approximately 16,000 travel agencies with travel data and booking capabilities for hundreds of the world's leading travel service suppliers.
- Worldspan employ 2,500 people which show that the market is massive. It proves how big travel and tourism has become and how it is increasing.
Amadeus.
- Amadeus offers a service in which the public can suit their holidays to themselves. This means information comes from all over the world to give the costumers the best chance of getting the holiday they want. The electronic information on Amadeus contains flight details, accommodation and dates in which are available.
There are many online travel agents, these include:
Expedia.
- Expedia is a virtual online travel agent which means you can book everything from you flight to hotel. Their aim is to replace high street travel agents.
- Expedia also works with a GDS to get the results they want for their costumers. This has a booming impact on travel and tourism as it is so much easier to book a holiday as everything can be catered for, for your own personal needs.
Sunvil Holidays.
- Sunvil online offers a different service to Expedia as you can’t book online whereas they offer a variety of holidays around the world. You can either book by phone or request to order a brochure. Sunvil have been operating holidays since 1970. They also offer unique tailor made travel options. This is what makes it ideal and appealing to potential costumers.
- Another technological development is e-ticketing.
Here is the booth in which you enter your details into when you come to the airport. This means you don’t need a paper ticket which gives you less things to worry about and loose. Once you have booked with the airline, you can check yourself in. this saves on time and is much more efficient. This relates to the ever growing industry of travel and tourism as everything is becoming easier and quicker to do. Making going away much more appealing to the public. (I got this picture form Google search on images.)
Conclusion.
Computerised booking systems make it much easier for tourists going on holiday as it creates less hassle. This makes it much more engaging for the public. The technological development therefore relates to the increase of travel and tourism as going on holiday is so much more efficient to the technology.